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Art, dance therapy helps patients go beyond shrink’s couch

Art therapy and dance therapy provide clients with the opportunity to explore their psyche through hands-on activities — and therapists say it can have dramatic results.

By MOLLY BELMONTAlbany Times Union

Published: Friday, October 8, 2010 at 1:23 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, October 8, 2010 at 1:25 p.m.

ALBANY, N.Y. — When it comes to therapy, sitting and talking might not be the answer for everyone. In fact, for some people, losing the couch is the way to find themselves.

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Art therapy and dance therapy provide clients with the opportunity to explore their psyche through hands-on activities — and therapists say it can have dramatic results.

“You’d be surprised what comes out in an art therapy session that never has before,” says Maureen Del Giacco, licensed creative arts therapist in private practice in Altamont, N.Y.

“Your body is full of memories,” says Rachelle Smith-Stallman, a board-certified, dance-movement therapist and licensed creative-arts therapist in private practice in Albany. “Sometimes there are no words for the feelings inside you.”

These new therapeutic techniques provide an alternative to traditional talking therapy, giving people a new way to communicate.

Art therapy can tap into people’s subconscious, releasing emotions they weren’t necessarily aware of, Del Giacco says. Plus, working with stimuli like color and shapes, and involving motor function in the process, helps the brain generate new neural pathways, she says.

For this reason, art therapy is being used for treatment of a number of diagnoses, including anxiety disorders, depression, attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, Alzheimer’s and stroke, she says.

In an art therapy session, Del Giacco sits down with the client, gives him art supplies, and lets him work. Sometimes she will talk with them as they’re working or ask questions. The process of creating an art project helps activate the brain through the limbic system; it also relaxes people, prompting them to open up about issues, she says.

Dance therapy is another option for working through psychological and developmental problems. Dance therapy is “good for people who can’t talk or who don’t like to talk,” says Smith-Stallman. It’s also good for people who have hit a “talk-therapy rut” and need a new way to communicate their feelings, she says.

Body language reflects people’s state of mind, Smith-Stallman says. “The idea is that you cannot hide behind your body. You can hide behind words,” she says.

In dance movement therapy, therapists try to reveal your state of mind through guided movement.

Smith-Stallman says she likes to do this through opposites, highlighting the body language the person is exhibiting and then working in the opposite direction. For example, she would help a client who was hunched over with stress to open up, or someone who was timid in his movements to be more forceful, or someone who was uncomfortable with his body to feel freer and more in control. Dance therapy is being used to treat a range of issues, including alcohol and substance abuse, body-image problems, abuse, anxiety, even autism.

Art and dance therapy are covered by some insurance policies, but most people pay for the sessions out of pocket. These sessions can last anywhere from weeks to years, depending on the complexity of the issue. These therapeutic techniques are useful for all ages, including children.

“A lot of it is play, too,” Smith-Stallman says. “Some adults forget how to play.”

<p>ALBANY, N.Y. — When it comes to therapy, sitting and talking might not be the answer for everyone. In fact, for some people, losing the couch is the way to find themselves.</p><p>Art therapy and dance therapy provide clients with the opportunity to explore their psyche through hands-on activities — and therapists say it can have dramatic results.</p><p>“You'd be surprised what comes out in an art therapy session that never has before,” says Maureen Del Giacco, licensed creative arts therapist in private practice in Altamont, N.Y.</p><p>“Your body is full of memories,” says Rachelle Smith-Stallman, a board-certified, dance-movement therapist and licensed creative-arts therapist in private practice in Albany. “Sometimes there are no words for the feelings inside you.”</p><p>These new therapeutic techniques provide an alternative to traditional talking therapy, giving people a new way to communicate.</p><p>Art therapy can tap into people's subconscious, releasing emotions they weren't necessarily aware of, Del Giacco says. Plus, working with stimuli like color and shapes, and involving motor function in the process, helps the brain generate new neural pathways, she says.</p><p>For this reason, art therapy is being used for treatment of a number of diagnoses, including anxiety disorders, depression, attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, Alzheimer's and stroke, she says.</p><p>In an art therapy session, Del Giacco sits down with the client, gives him art supplies, and lets him work. Sometimes she will talk with them as they're working or ask questions. The process of creating an art project helps activate the brain through the limbic system; it also relaxes people, prompting them to open up about issues, she says.</p><p>Dance therapy is another option for working through psychological and developmental problems. Dance therapy is “good for people who can't talk or who don't like to talk,” says Smith-Stallman. It's also good for people who have hit a “talk-therapy rut” and need a new way to communicate their feelings, she says.</p><p>Body language reflects people's state of mind, Smith-Stallman says. “The idea is that you cannot hide behind your body. You can hide behind words,” she says.</p><p>In dance movement therapy, therapists try to reveal your state of mind through guided movement.</p><p>Smith-Stallman says she likes to do this through opposites, highlighting the body language the person is exhibiting and then working in the opposite direction. For example, she would help a client who was hunched over with stress to open up, or someone who was timid in his movements to be more forceful, or someone who was uncomfortable with his body to feel freer and more in control. Dance therapy is being used to treat a range of issues, including alcohol and substance abuse, body-image problems, abuse, anxiety, even autism.</p><p>Art and dance therapy are covered by some insurance policies, but most people pay for the sessions out of pocket. These sessions can last anywhere from weeks to years, depending on the complexity of the issue. These therapeutic techniques are useful for all ages, including children.</p><p>“A lot of it is play, too,” Smith-Stallman says. “Some adults forget how to play.”</p>